Trail Run: Godalming to Winterfold Forest

1. Godalming to Trowers Bridge (2.5 km)
Exit the railway station, turn left and take the stairs down to the lower car park. Turn left onto Westbrook Rd, then right in to Vicarage Walk after 50 m. Emerging onto Borough Rd, cross straight ahead to enter Phillips Memorial Park. Continue by the riverside until the park runs out and cross Bridge Rd, turning left onto the bridge. Just after the bridge turn right to join the Wey Navigation Towpath behind Godalming United Church. Follow the canal towpath for 1 km to the bridge at Cattleshall Lock. Cross Cattleshall Ln and rejoin the towpath on the other side of the road. Continue for 500 m then turn right on Trowers Bridge to cross the Wey.

2. Trowers Bridge to Foxburrow Hill Road (1.65 km)
Follow the unmade lane for 500 m, passing fields and paddocks either side of the hedgerow. Ignore the first footpath on the left and at the next junction of paths take the left hand fork – marked with a waypoint – into trees. Follow the track for 400 m as it ascends between trees, skirting a field on your left. At the top of the rise, the track splits. Bear left as directed by the waypoint. Follow this track as it curves around Farley Hill, with Unsted Wood to your right and open fields falling away to your left. After 600 m, the track descends to an unmade lane, with Foxburrow Cottage to your right. In 150 m you will emerge onto Foxburrow Hill Rd.

3. Foxburrow Hill Road to Wonersh Recreation Ground (2.4 km)
Cross the road and follow the fingerpost to rejoin the path through Bramley Golf Club. Stick to the track as it skirts the edge of the golf course. After 700 m, the path veers off to the right through trees and descends gradually to Clockhouse Ln, with houses either side. Continue to the end of the lane and turn right onto Horsham Rd. The next 1 km of interchange is on pavement. Turn right on Horsham Rd and after 150 m, turn left at the crossroads by the petrol station into Station Rd. Continue straight for 600 m, passing St Catherine’s School and over the river whereupon the road curves right into The St. After 200 m, turn left through a metal kissing gate onto a footpath marked with a fingerpost. Follow this narrow path as it skirts a paddock to your left. After 150 m, turn right where the track forks and continue the short distance to emerge onto Kings Rd. Turn left and after 40 m, cross directly onto Wonersh Recreation Ground.

4. Wonersh Recreation Ground to Littleford Lane (2.3 km)
Follow the obvious track skirting the right of the green and turn right as it joins Barnett Ln. After 90 m turn left onto a gravel lane as directed by a fingerpost. The lane quickly turns into a footpath, with fields either side. Continue straight on this track as it enters woodland and skirts the grounds of Barnett Hill Hotel. In 1 km, you will emerge at a confluence of tracks, with Blackheath Ln directly ahead. Take a switchback right hand turn here, in the direction of the cemetery on an unmade lane. After 100 m, take the footpath on the left and follow it round to skirt the perimeter of the cemetery. Continue on this track as it passes Blackheath Farm and joins a steep climb through the trees onto Blackheath Common. At the top of the climb you will emerge onto the common at a confluence of tracks. Looking slightly right, take the narrower track through heather at 2 o’clock and follow this directly to join Littleford Ln after 200 m.

5. Littleford Lane to Farley Heath Road (2.5 km)
Cross Littleford Ln and pick up the track directly opposite, marked by a fingerpost. After 170 m turn left and then hard right after a further 30 m. Continue for 120 m then take the path which forks off left over open common and heather. After 100 m, this joins a very wide, sandy track by a stand of trees. Turn right and stay on this track for 400 m as it undulates then gradually descends to join a crossroad of tracks. Turn right and follow this track for 700 m until it runs into the end of Green Ln. Bear left here onto a gravel track into the trees and after 40 m, bear left again to maintain the tree line to your right as you join the obvious fire break and track in the plantation. After 150 m, turn hard right to cut directly through the middle of the pine plantation. In 750 m, you will emerge onto the forest car park at Farley Heath Rd.

6. Farley Heath Road to Row Lane (1.6 km)
Passing to the right of the timber piles, cross Farley Heath Rd and pick up the bridleway directly opposite which is marked by a fingerpost. Keep to the right hand track on Farley Heath, passing through a mix of deciduous and coniferous woodland which gives way to open heathland. Ignore the first crossroad of tracks and after a further 100 m, you will reach a second crossroad of tracks. Turn left here and stay on this wider track – after 300 m you will pass a small pond and Mayor House Farm – a huge riding centre and livery yard with paddocks surrounding it. After a further 700 m, you will emerge onto Row Ln.

7. Row Lane to Barhatch Road (2.6 km)
Turn left on Row Ln and after 120 m, as the road begins to curve round into Shophouse Ln, take the footpath on the right marked with a fingerpost and wooden bollards. Follow this track between hedgerows and cottages for 130 m then turn right at the crossroad of tracks into Winterfold Forest. Stay on this track as it winds through the trees and follows a small freshwater spring to your right hand side. The track climbs gradually and opens out into a nice bowl fringed with tall pine trees in an area known as Larch Valley. The spring water mingles with the track here and the area has a remote, wild feel to it. After 1 km, just before you reach the confluence of paths at the trail head, turn left up a very steep, gnarly track through the pines. Cresting the hill, the track broadens out into a wide forest track, with great views of the North Downs to your left. You will then pass through a forestry parking area and descend quickly to a crossroad of tracks. Continue straight across, up another very steep incline through the pines on a narrow track. On reaching the next crossroad of tracks, turn right onto the broad forestry access track and follow this for 400 m as it climbs gradually up to the large gates. If these are closed, skirt around the iron estate fencing to emerge onto Barhatch Rd.

8. Barhatch Road to Reynards Hill (1.2 km)
Cross Barhatch Rd and pick up the woodland path directly opposite the gates. Follow this track as it ascends gradually through the trees to Ewhurst Windmill. At the junction of unmade lanes by the windmill, bear slightly right, with the fencing of the windmill residence to your left. You have now joined a section of the Greensand Way, which you will follow for the next 8.5 km. Descend on the broad woodland track for 300 m to reach Barhatch Rd. Cross directly over into Winterfold Heath Rd and bear immediately left into Hurtwood Car Park 4, following a fingerpost. Follow this track through the woods as it ascends, with views opening out through the trees to your left. After 300 m you will reach the panoramic viewpoint at Reynards Hill. From this high spot you can see Hascombe Hill, Dunsfold Airfield, Blackdown Hill and the Low Weald towards Sussex.

9. Reynards Hill to Alderbrook Road (2 km)
From the viewpoint, rejoin the main track and turn left, following it as it gradually descends for 700 m through the trees to join Winterfold Heath Rd. Bear left and you will see Jelleys Hollow – a long, steep gully. Skirt the edge of the gully, tracking the line of staked logs that demarcate the edge of the lane. At the end of the line of stakes, turn left into the woods as directed by the waypoint post. Bear right where the track forks and continue to the crest of Winterfold Hill. Continue for 500 m as the track curves right to reach a natural break in the trees and another fine viewpoint towards the southwest. Stay on the main track – there’s a maze of paths as it starts to descend, but if you continue west in a direct fashion you will arrive at Hurtwood Car Park 6 after a further 500 m. Skirt the left edge of the car park and down some wooden steps to join Alderbrook Rd.

10. Alderbrook Road to Stroud Lane (1.8 km)
Cross Alderbrook Rd and rejoin the Greensand Way directly opposite, marked with a fingerpost. Continue on this track through the woods, taking the left hand fork after 250 m. This track descends through Great Copse for 500 m where you will arrive at a junction of tracks. Continue straight over into a small stand of trees and follow the track as it curves to the left into a grassy meadow with thick gorse bushes to your left. Follow the central, broad grassy track as it skirts Willinghurst Farmhouse and a large pond to your left. The track then runs between private, fenced woodland and becomes an access lane for Shamley Farm. This section is tightly corralled, with no chance of getting lost. It can be extremely waterlogged! Continue straight until you emerge onto Stroud Ln.

11. Stroud Lane to Church Hill (1.3 km)
Turn right onto Stroud Ln and after 90 m, take the footpath on the left as you pass the hedgerow and entrance of Stroud Farm. This is marked with a fingerpost. Follow this track for 500 m, skirting the edge of Cucknells Wood Nature Reserve to emerge onto a private access lane. Turn left and in another 200 m, turn left again to join the footpath into the fields of Plonks Farm. Follow the obvious right of way as the track curves left to dissect two large fields. After 450 m, you will emerge onto Church Hill alongside the churchyard.

12. Church Hill to A281 Rooks Hill (1.5 km)
Cross Church Hill bearing slightly left to pick up the footpath which starts at the end of the church car park, skirting a large house and garden on your left. This quickly becomes flat farmland with occasional large trees dotting the landscape. Continue straight on the obvious track for 700 m and you will emerge onto Long Common – a small lane with a large house to your left. Turn right and in 20 m, immediately left to rejoin the Greensand Way. Continue for a further 750 m until you emerge onto the A281 by Rooks Hill Farm.

13. A281 Rooks Hill to Rose Cottages (2.45 km)
Turn left on the pavement of the A281. After 150 m, cross the road to pick up the Greensand Way, marked with a fingerpost. This is a wide, unmade access track between two thick hedges. Follow this track as it skirts a field to your left and a Christmas tree plantation to your right. After 500 m, the track turns into Brookwell Ln. After 350 m the lane curves to the left at 90°. Continue straight ahead here to continue through a corridor of trees, with sheep fields either side. After 350 m you will arrive at a crossroads of sandy tracks. Continue straight ahead, passing over a stile to join an ascending grassy track with enclosed sheep fields either side. At the top of the rise, cross another stile into a copse. Follow the track as it winds and ascends through the trees. In 250 m, you will join a path across the top of the hill, with nice views of rolling sheep fields to your right. The path then becomes an ancient drovers track, which descends through a steep tunnel of trees. At the bottom, you will emerge onto Rose Cottages in the hamlet of Thorncombe Street.

14. Rose Cottages to Alldens Lane (1.5 km)
Turn left at Rose Cottages towards the hamlet of Thorncombe Street. After 70 m, turn right at onto Alldens Hill at the t-junction of lanes. The lane dips, crossing a small river and after 60 m take the left hand footpath, marked by a fingerpost. This enters a small copse and soon joins a sandy track skirting a sloping field to your right. Continue straight, passing through a treeline into an adjacent meadow. In 300 m, you will pass through a metal gate by a large country cottage with a swimming pool. Follow the marked footpath around the edge of this field, keeping left as it curves to the right and ascends up towards a hill cloaked with large trees. You will then cross a stile to enter Longfield Copse. Follow the track as it winds and climbs for 600 m. You will then pass through a small metal kissing gate to emerge onto Alldens Ln.

15. Alldens Lane to Cattleshall Lock (2.7 km)
Turn left on Alldens Ln and in 100 m take the right hand track – marked with a fingerpost – as it forks off the lane. Follow this track through the trees for 600 m and you will emerge onto Munstead Heath Rd. Cross directly to pick up the gravel bridleway opposite as it descends through trees. Follow this track for 1.5 km as it narrows into a sandstone trail, descending gradually before finally joining a tarmac lane and emerging onto Cattleshall Ln by a half timbered cottage. Turn left and after 80 m, turn right through a residential road for 150 m to join Cattleshall Rd. Continue on the road as it winds through Cattleshall, crossing the weirs over a small bridge. In a further 250 m, you will cross the River Wey, with Farncombe Boathouse to your right. Cross the road and turn left onto the towpath at Cattleshall Lock.

16. Cattleshall Lock back to start (2 km)
From Cattleshall Lock, simply retrace your steps back to Godalming United Church, Bridge Rd and the Phillips Memorial Park to return to the start point at Godalming Railway Station.